The Real Reason Men Have Nipples and Can They Breast-Feed? (You’ll Be Surprised)

Mammals started to roam the Earth about 210 million years ago. The name 'mammal' is from the Latin word 'mamma' meaning ‘breast’. Animals in this classification get their name because they feed their young with milk from their breasts.

The first mammals evolved into the broad spectrum of mammal species we see today, including, humans and through the female of the species, the nipples continue to be vital milk delivery to her young.

So why do men have nipples?

Embryonic Development

For the first 8 or so weeks of development in the womb, male and female embryos develop identically. We are all built to a common blueprint. More specifically, we all develop to a female blueprint, before our chromosomes determine our sex as male or female.

The formation of breast tissue and mammary glands begins very early on before any of the gender-specific processes take place. During these first weeks of embryonic growth, we all develop a mammary ridge, or ‘milk line’, essentially a thickening of the skin running from the armpit to the thigh (think about the rows of nipples on other mammalian species.) In human development, this ridge pulls back and leaves us with nipples.

Can Men Breastfeed?

Male lactation isn’t actually impossible, and will generally happen soon after birth. Prolactin, a hormone that facilitates breast milk production in new mothers, and can pass through the placenta into a baby’s body, causing it to spontaneously lactate after birth. This usually stops after one or two weeks.

There's also been studies conducted on adult male breastfeeding. It was found that spending prolonged amounts of time with babies can increase levels of prolactin in fathers’ bloodstreams, and coupled with a suckling baby, this could very well lead to a male breast yielding milk though it is still uncommon.

If you’re female, it's quite likely that you probably already knew the importance of your nipples! But if you’re a guy, you can now look down and feel proud in the knowledge that you were once female, even if only for a couple of months.